Substituted tricyclic heterocycles as serotonin receptor agonists and antagonists

ABSTRACT

The present application describes compounds, including all pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, solvates and stereoisomers thereof, according to Formula I, pharmaceutical compositions, comprising at least one compound according to Formula I and optionally at least one additional therapeutic agent and methods of treating various diseases, conditions and disorders associated with modulation of serotonin receptors such as, for example: metabolic diseases, which includes but is not limited to obesity, diabetes, diabetic complications, atherosclerosis, impared glucose tolerance and dyslipidemia; central nervous system diseases which includes but is not limited to, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia, sleep disorder, sexual disorder and social phobias; cephalic pain; migraine; and gastrointestinal disorders using compounds according to Formula I

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority benefit under Title 35 §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/710,954, filed Aug. 24, 2005, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The neurotransmitter/hormone serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) regulates many physiological processes via a group of at least 14 distinct receptors that are organized into 7 subfamilies (Hoyer, D., et al., Pharmacol. Rev., 46, 1994). The 5-HT₂ subfamily is composed of the 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), and 5-HT_(2C) receptors as determined by gene homology and pharmacological properties. There exists a substantial correlation for the relationship between 5-HT₂ receptor modulation and a variety of diseases and therapies. Prior to the early 1990's the 5-HT_(2C) and 5-HT_(2A) receptors were referred to as 5-HT_(1C) and 5-HT₂, respectively.

The direct or indirect agonism or antagonism of 5-HT₂ receptors, either selectively or non-selectively, has been associated with the treatment of various central nervous system (CNS) disorders including obesity, depression, schizophrenia and bi-polar disorders. In the recent past the contribution of serotonergic activity to the mode of action of anti-obesity drugs has been well documented. Compounds that increase the overall basal tone of serotonin in the CNS have been developed as anorectic drugs. The serotonin releasing agents, such as fenfluramine, function by increasing the amount of serotonin present in the nerve synapse. These breakthrough treatments, however, are not without side effects. Due to the mechanism of action of serotonin releasing agents, they effect the activity of a number of serotonin receptor subtypes in a wide variety of organs including those not associated with the desired mechanism of action. This non-specific modulation of the serotonin family of receptors most likely plays a significant role in the side effect profile. In addition, these compounds or their metabolites often have a high affinity for a number of the serotonin receptors as well as a multitude of other monoamine neurotransmitters and nuisance receptors. Removing some of the receptor cross reactivity would allow for the examination and possible development of potent therapeutic ligands with an improved side effect profile.

The 5-HT_(2C) receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor. It is almost exclusively expressed in the central nervous system including the hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus of the solitary tract, spinal cord, cortex, olfactory bulb, ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens and choroid plexus (Hoffman, B. and Mezey, E., FEBS Lett., 247, 1989). There is ample evidence to support the role of selective 5-HT_(2C) receptor ligands in a number of disease therapies. 5-HT_(2C) knockout mice develop a late stage obesity syndrome that is not reversed by fenfluramine or other direct acting 5-HT_(2C) agonists such as mCPP (Nonogaki, K., et al., Nature Med., 4, 1998; Vickers, S., et. al., Psychopharmacology, 143, 1999). Administration of selective 5-HT_(2C) agonists to rats causes a reduction in food intake and corresponding reduction in body weight (Vickers, S., et al., Br. J. Pharmacol., 130, 2000) and these responses can be blocked by administration of selective 5-HT_(2C) antagonists (Vicker, S., et al., Neuropharmacol., 41, 2001). 5-HT_(2C) receptor modulation in the hypothalamus can also influence thermoregulation (Mazzola-Pomietto, P, et al., Psychopharmacology, 123, 1996), sleep (Sharpley, A., et al., Neuropharmacology, 33, 1994), sexual behavior and neuroendocrine function (Rittenhouse, P. et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 271, 1994). Activation of 5-HT_(2C) receptors in the VTA modulates the activity of dopaminergic neurons that are involved in aspects of depression (Di Matteo, V. et al., Trends Pharmacol. Sci., 22, 2001) and 5-HT_(2C) receptor agonists such as WAY 161503, RO 60-0175 and RO 60-0332 are active in rodent models of depression (Cryan, J. and Lucki, I., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 295, 2000). 5-HT_(2C) agonists have been reported to reduce the rewarding effects of nicotine administration in rats (Grottick, A., et al., Psychopharmacology, 157, 2001) and influences rodent responses to cocaine administration (Grottick, A., et al., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 295, 2000). Modulation of 5-HT_(2C) receptors in the spinal cord can influence pain perception (Chojnacka-Wojcik, E., et al., Pol. J. Pharmacol., 46, 1994). There is also data indicating that the 5-HT_(2C) receptor agonists mCPP and RO 60-0175 mediate penile erections in rats (Millan, M., et al., Eur J. Pharmacol. 325, 1997).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present application describes compounds according to Formula I, pharmaceutical compositions, comprising at least one compound according to Formula I and optionally at least one additional therapeutic agent and methods of treating various diseases, conditions and disorders associated with modulation of serotonin receptors such as, for example: metabolic diseases, which includes but is not limited to obesity, diabetes, diabetic complications, atherosclerosis, impared glucose tolerance and dyslipidemia; central nervous system diseases which includes but is not limited to, anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia, sleep disorder, sexual disorder and social phobias; cephalic pain; migraine; and gastrointestinal disorders using compounds according to Formula I

including all pharmaceutically acceptable salt forms, prodrugs, solvates and stereoisomers thereof, wherein b, R¹, R², R³, R^(3′), R⁴, R⁵, R⁶ and R⁷ are described herein.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to the terms as used throughout this specification, unless otherwise limited in specific instances.

Unless otherwise indicated, the term “alkyl” as employed herein alone or as part of another group includes both straight and branched chain hydrocarbons, containing 1 to 40 carbons, preferably 1 to 20 carbons, more preferably 1 to 6 carbons, in the normal chain, such as, for example, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, t-butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, isohexyl, heptyl, 4,4-dimethylpentyl, octyl, 2,2,4-trimethylpentyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, the various branched chain isomers thereof, and the like.

Unless otherwise indicated, the term “alkenyl” as used herein by itself or as part of another group refers to straight or branched chain radicals of 2 to 20 carbons, preferably 2 to 12 carbons, and more preferably 2 to 6 carbons in the normal chain, which include one or more double bonds in the normal chain, such as, for example, vinyl, 2-propenyl, 3-butenyl, 2-butenyl, 4-pentenyl, 3-pentenyl, 2-hexenyl, 3-hexenyl, 2-heptenyl, 3-heptenyl, 4-heptenyl, 3-octenyl, 3-nonenyl, 4-decenyl, 3-undecenyl, 4-dodecenyl, 4,8,12-tetradecatrienyl, and the like.

Unless otherwise indicated, the term “alkynyl” as used herein by itself or as part of another group refers to straight or branched chain radicals of 2 to 20 carbons, preferably 2 to 12 carbons and more preferably 2 to 8 carbons in the normal chain, which include one or more triple bonds in the normal chain, such as, for example, 2-propynyl, 3-butynyl, 2-butynyl, 4-pentynyl, 3-pentynyl, 2-hexynyl, 3-hexynyl, 2-heptynyl, 3-heptynyl, 4-heptynyl, 3-octynyl, 3-nonynyl, 4-decynyl, 3-undecynyl, 4-dodecynyl and the like.

The term “halogen” or “halo” as used herein alone or as part of another group refers to chlorine, bromine, fluorine and iodine.

Unless otherwise indicated, the term “cycloalkyl” as employed herein alone or as part of another group refers to saturated or partially unsaturated (containing 1 or 2 double bonds) cyclic hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 3 rings, including monocyclic alkyl, bicyclic alkyl and tricyclic alkyl, containing a total of 3 to 20 carbons forming the rings, preferably 3 to 10 carbons, forming the ring such as, for example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, cyclooctyl, cyclodecyl, cyclododecyl, cyclohexenyl,

wherein the cycloalkyl may be fused to 1 aromatic ring as described for aryl.

The term “heterocyclyl”, as used herein, refers to an unsubstituted or substituted stable 4-, 5-, 6- or 7-membered monocyclic ring system which may be saturated or unsaturated, and which consists of carbon atoms and from one to four heteroatoms selected from N, O, S, SO and/or SO₂ group, wherein the nitrogen heteroatoms may optionally be oxidized, and the nitrogen heteroatom may optionally be quarternized. The heterocyclic ring may be attached at any heteroatom or carbon atom which results in the creation of a stable structure such as, for example, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, oxopiperazinyl, oxopiperidinyl and oxadiazolyl.

The term “aryl” as employed herein alone or as part of another group refers to monocyclic and bicyclic aromatic groups containing 6 to 10 carbons in the ring portion such as, for example, phenyl or naphthyl and may optionally include one to three additional rings fused to “aryl” such as, for example, aryl, cycloalkyl, heteroaryl or cycloheteroalkyl rings.

The term “heteroaryl” as used herein refers to a 5-, 6- or 7-membered aromatic heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen. Such rings may be fused to another ring such as, for example, cycloalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl and include possible N-oxides.

The term “oxy” as used herein as part of another group refers to an oxygen atom serving as a linker between two groups such as, for example, hydroxy, oxyalkyl, oxyalkenyl, oxyalkynyl, oxyperfluoroalkyl, oxyaryl, oxyheteroaryl, oxycarboalkyl, oxycarboalkenyl, oxycarboalkynyl, oxycarboaryl, oxycarboheteroaryl, oxycarbocycloalkyl, oxycarboaminoalkyl, oxycarboaminoalkenyl, oxycarboaminoalkynyl, oxycarboaminoaryl, oxycarboaminocycloalkyl, oxycarboaminoheterocyclyl, oxycarboaminoheteroaryl, aminocarboxyalkyl, aminocarboxyalkenyl, aminocarboxyalkynyl, aminocarboxyaryl, aminocarboxycycloalkyl, aminocarboxyheterocyclyl and aminocarboxyheteroaryl,

The term “carbo” as used herein as part of another group refers to a carbonyl (C═O) group serving as a linker between two groups such as, for example, carboxyalkyl, carboxyalkenyl, carboxyalkynyl, carboxyaryl, carboxyheteroaryl, carboxycycloalkyl, oxycarboalkyl, oxycarboalkenyl, oxycarboalkynyl, oxycarboaryl, oxycarboheteroaryl, oxycarbocycloalkyl, carboaminoalkyl, carboaminoalkenyl, carboaminoakynyl, carboaminoaryl, carboaminocycloalkyl, carboheterocyclyl, carboheteroaryl, carboaminoheterocyclyl, carboaminoheteroaryl, aminocarboalkyl, aminocarboalkenyl, aminocarboalkynyl, aminocarboaryl, aminocarbocycloalkyl, aminocarboheterocyclyl, aminocarboheteroaryl, oxycarboaminoalkyl, oxycarboaminoalkenyl, oxycarboaminoalkynyl, oxycarboaminoaryl, oxycarboaminocycloalkyl, oxycarboaminoheterocyclyl, oxycarboaminoheteroaryl, aminocarboxyalkyl, aminocarboxyalkenyl, aminocarboxyalkynyl, aminocarboxyaryl, aminocarboxycycloalkyl, aminocarboxyheterocyclyl, aminocarboxyheteroaryl, aminocarboaminoalkyl, aminocarboaminoalkenyl, aminocarboaminoalkynyl, aminocarboaminoaryl, aminocarboaminocycloalkyl, aminocarboheterocyclyl, aminocarboheteroaryl, aminocarboaminoheterocyclyl and aminocarboaminoheteroaryl.

The term “thio” as used herein as part of another group refers to a sulfur atom serving as a linker between two groups such as, for example, thioalkyl, thioalkenyl, thioalkynyl, thioaryl, thioheteroaryl, thiocycloalkyl and thioheterocyclyl.

The term “perfluoro” as used herein as part of another group refers to a group wherein more than one hyrdogen atom attached to one or more carbon atoms in the group has been replaced with a fluorine atom such as, for example, perfluoroalkyl, perfluoroalkenyl, perfluoroalkynyl and oxyperfluoroalkyl.

The term “amino” as used herein alone or as part of another group refers to a nitrogen atom that may be either terminal or a linker between two other groups, wherein the group may be a primary, secondary or tertiary (two hydrogen atoms bonded to the nitrogen atom, one hydrogen atom bonded to the nitrogen atom and no hydrogen atoms bonded to the nitrogen atom, respectively) amine such as, for example, amino, aminoalkyl, aminoalkenyl, aminoalkynyl, aminoaryl, aminoheteroaryl, aminocycloalkyl, alkylamino, alkenylamino, alkynylamino, arylamino, heteroarylamino, cycloalkylamino, carboaminoalkyl, carboaminoalkenyl, carboaminoakynyl, carboaminoaryl, carboaminocycloalkyl, carboheterocyclyl, carboheteroaryl, carboaminoheterocyclyl, carboaminoheteroaryl, aminocarboalkyl, aminocarboalkenyl, aminocarboalkynyl, aminocarboaryl, aminocarbocycloalkyl, aminocarboheterocyclyl, aminocarboheteroaryl, oxycarboaminoalkyl, oxycarboaminoalkenyl, oxycarboaminoalkynyl, oxycarboaminoaryl, oxycarboaminocycloalkyl, oxycarboaminoheterocyclyl, oxycarboaminoheteroaryl, aminocarboxyalkyl, aminocarboxyalkenyl, aminocarboxyalkynyl, aminocarboxyaryl, aminocarboxycycloalkyl, aminocarboxyheterocyclyl, aminocarboxyheteroaryl, aminocarboaminoalkyl, aminocarboaminoalkenyl, aminocarboaminoalkynyl, aminocarboaminoaryl, aminocarboaminocycloalkyl, aminocarboheterocyclyl, aminocarboheteroaryl, aminocarboaminoheterocyclyl, aminocarboaminoheteroaryl, aminosulfoalkyl, aminosulfoalkenyl, aminosulfoalkynyl, aminosulfoaryl, aminosulfocycloalkyl, aminosulfoheterocyclyl, aminosulfoheteroaryl, aminosulfoalkylamino, aminosulfoalkenylamino, aminosulfoalkynylamino, aminosulfoarylamino, aminosulfocycloalkylamino, aminosulfoheterocyclylamino and aminosulfoheteroarylamino.

The term “nitrile” as used herein refers to a cyano (a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom) group.

The term “sulfinyl” as used herein as part of another group refers to an —SO— group such as, for example, sulfinylalkyl, sulfinylalkenyl, sulfinylalkynyl, sulfinylaryl, sulfinylcycloalkyl, sulfinylheterocyclyl, sulfinylheteroaryl, sulfinylamino and sulfinylamido.

The term “sulfonyl” as used herein as part of another group refers to an —SO₂— group such as, for example, sulfonylalkyl, sulfonylalkenyl, sulfonylalkynyl, sulfonylaryl, sulfonylcycloalkyl, sulfonylheterocyclyl and sulfonylheteroaryl.

An administration of a therapeutic agent of the application includes administration of a therapeutically effective amount of the agent of the application. The term “therapeutically effective amount” as used herein refers to an amount of a therapeutic agent to treat or prevent a condition treatable by administration of a composition of the application. That amount is the amount sufficient to exhibit a detectable therapeutic or preventative or ameliorative effect. The effect may include, for example, treatment or prevention of the conditions listed herein. The precise effective amount for a subject will depend upon the subject's size and health, the nature and extent of the condition being treated, recommendations of the treating physician, and the therapeutics or combination of therapeutics selected for administration. Thus, it is not useful to specify an exact effective amount in advance.

Any compound that can be converted in vivo to provide the bioactive agent (i.e., the compound of formula I) is a prodrug within the scope and spirit of the application.

The term “prodrug esters” as employed herein includes esters and carbonates formed by reacting one or more hydroxyls of compounds of formula I with alkyl, alkoxy, or aryl substituted acylating agents employing procedures known to those skilled in the art to generate acetates, pivalates, methylcarbonates, benzoates and the like.

Various forms of prodrugs are well known in the art and are described in:

a) The Practice of Medicinal Chemistry, Camille G. Wermuth et al., Ch 31, (Academic Press, 1996);

b) Design of Prodrugs, edited by H. Bundgaard, (Elsevier, 1985); and

c) A Textbook of Drug Design and Development, P. Krogsgaard-Larson and H. Bundgaard, eds. Ch. 5, pgs 113-191 (Harwood Academic Publishers, 1991). Said references are incorporated herein by reference.

All stereoisomers of the compounds of the instant application are contemplated, either in admixture or in pure or substantially pure form. The compounds of the present application can have asymmetric centers at any of the carbon atoms including any one of the R substituents. Consequently, compounds of formula I can exist in enantiomeric or diastereomeric forms or in mixtures thereof. The processes for preparation can utilize racemates, enantiomers or diastereomers as starting materials. When diastereomeric or enantiomeric products are prepared, they can be separated by conventional methods for example, chromatographic techniques or fractional crystallization.

The pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of formula I of the application include alkali metal salts such as lithium, sodium or potassium, alkaline earth metal salts such as calcium or magnesium, as well as zinc or aluminum and other cations such as ammonium, choline, diethanolamine, ethylenediamine, t-butylamine, t-octylamine, dehydroabietylamine, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable anions such as chloride, bromide, iodide, tartrate, acetate, methanesulfonate, maleate, succinate, glutarate, stearate and salts of naturally occurring amino acids such as arginine, lysine, alanine and the like, and prodrug esters thereof.

Synthesis

Throughout the details of the applications, the following abbreviations are used with the following meanings:

Reagents:

Et₃N triethylamine

TFA trifluoroacetic acid

LiAlH₄ lithium aluminum hydride

Solvents:

THF tetrahydrofuran

MeOH methanol

EtOH ethanol

EtOAc ethyl acetate

DMF dimethyl formamide

DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide

Et₂O diethylether

Others:

Ar aryl

Ph phenyl

Me methyl

Et ethyl

BOC tert-butoxycarbonyl

CBZ benzyloxycarbonyl

Bn benzyl

Bu butyl

Pr propyl

mL milliliter

mmol millimole

mg milligram

g gram

aq. aqueous

sat. saturated

The compounds of the present applications can be prepared in a number of ways well known to one skilled in the art of organic synthesis. The compounds of the present applications can be synthesized using the methods described below, together with synthetic methods known in the art of synthetic organic chemistry, or variations thereon as appreciated by those skilled in the art. Preferred methods include, but are not limited to, those described below. All references cited herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

The novel compounds of this applications may be prepared using the reactions and techniques described in this section. The reactions are performed in solvents appropriate to the reagent and materials employed and are suitable for the transformations being effected. Also, in the description of the synthetic methods described below, it is to be understood that all proposed reaction conditions, including choice of solvent, reaction atmosphere, reaction temperature, duration of the experiment and workup procedures, are chosen to be the conditions standard for that reaction, which should be readily recognized by one skilled in the art. It is understood by one skilled in the art of organic synthesis that the functionality present on various portions of the molecule must be compatible with the regents and reactions proposed. Such restrictions to the substituents which are compatible with the reaction conditions will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art and alternate methods must then be used.

The preparation of compounds of Formula (I) of the present applications may be carried out in a convergent or sequential synthetic manner. Detailed synthetic preparations of the compounds of Formula (I) are shown in the following reaction schemes. The skills required in preparation and purification of the compounds of Formula (I) and the intermediates leading to these compounds are known to those in the art. Purification procedures include, but are not limited to, normal or reverse phase chromatography, crystallization, and distillation.

Several methods for the preparation of the compounds of the present applications are illustrated in the schemes and examples shown below. The substitutions are as described and defined above.

Compounds of Formula (I) of this application may be prepared as shown in Scheme 1. Thus, preparation of an aryl Grignard reagents (III) is accomplished, for example, by treatment of a corresponding substituted bromobenzene (II) with Mg. Formation of alkyl 1-alkyl-3-arylpiperidine-4-carboxylate (V) is accomplished by addition of the arylmagnesium bromide (III) to the n-alkyl-tetrahydropyridine ester (IV). Assembly of the core 3-aza-fluoren-9-one intermediate (VI) is accomplished by hydrolysis of ester (V) followed by cyclization in polyphosphoric acid (see, for example, Paragamian, V. U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,443, 1969; and Cook, C. E., et. al., J. Med. Chem. 1995, 38, 753).

The corresponding enantiomers can be isolated by separation of the racemic mixture of (VI) on a chiral stationary phase column utilizing normal or reverse phase HPLC techniques. Alternatively, a diastereomeric mixture of (VI) can be prepared by treatment of (VI) with an appropriate chiral acid (or suitably activated derivative), for example dibenzoyl tartrate or the like (see, for example, Kinbara, K., et. al., J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 2, 1996, 2615; and Tomori, H., et. al., Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 1996, 3581). The diastereomers would then be separated by traditional techniques (i.e. silica chromatography, crystallization, HPLC, etc) followed by removal of the chiral auxiliary to afford enantiomerically pure (VI).

Highly functionalized aryl Grignard Reagents (VIII) can be also prepared as described in Scheme 2. Formation of the arylmagnesium halides (VIII, X=Br or I) may be accomplished through halogen-magnesium exchange reaction of aryl halides (VII, X=Br or I) with treatment of alkylmagnesium bromide, for example EtMgBr, i-PrMgBr, etc. at low temperature (see, Knochel, P. et. al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2003, 42, 4302).

The tricyclic core (VI) may be prepared in stereoselective manner according to Cook, C. E. et. al. U.S. Patent 2004/0147539 as shown in Scheme 3. Thus, N-substituted tetrahydropyridine-4-carboxylic acid (IX) may be coupled with optically pure 1R or 1S-camphorsultam (X) to yield the enoylsultam (XI). The resulting optically pure enoylsultan (XI) may react with arylmagnesium halide (III) to give the corresponding 1,4-adduct (XII) with diastereofacial selectivity. Assembly of the optically pure core 3-aza-fluoren-9-one intermediate (VI) is accomplished by hydrolysis of sultam (XII) followed by cyclization.

The preparation of compounds of Formula (I) with additional diversity of functionalization is shown in Scheme 4. Reaction of the ketone (XIII) with alkyl lithium or alkyl magnesium halide followed by dehydration by treatment with aqueous acid, such as HCl, H₂SO₄ or H₃PO₄, forms the 9-alkyl-tetrahydro-3-aza-fluorene (XIV). The substituted hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene (XV) is accomplished by hydrogenation of alkene (XIV) with appropriate catalyst, such as Pd—C. Direct reduction of the carbonyl functionality of the tricyclic ketone (XIII) by Et₃SiH in TFA affords the 3-aza-fluorene (XVI). 9-Hydroxy-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene (XVII) is also accomplished by reduction of ketone with hydride.

The R¹ moiety of (XIII), (XV), (XVI) or (XVII) at the basic nitrogen can be manipulated. Alkyl R¹ may be removed under a variety of conditions as described in Greene, T. W., Wuts, P. G. W., “Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 2nd Edition”, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, pages 309-405, 1991. The free secondary amine could then be re-alkylated with a different R¹, for example, by treatment with a suitably substituted alkyl halide (R¹Cl, R¹Br or R¹I) and a base, such as Et₃N, K₂CO₃ or isopropyl-diethyl amine, to afford additional compounds of type (I), as described, for example, by Glennon, R. A., et. al., Med. Chem. Res., 1996, 197.

The preparation of compounds of Formula (I) with additional diversity of functionalization of the aromatic ring of the tricycle is shown in Scheme 5 and described here. Any 3-aza-fluorene with activated aryl group such as haloaromatics, aryldiazonium and aryltriflate act as excellent counterparts for a number of important synthetic transformations.

For example, Suzuki coupling protocol can be applied to the R⁶ position. For a review and leading references of palladium catalyzed cross coupling reactions, see Miyaura, N., Suzuki, A., Chem. Rev., 1995, 2457. One such procedure entails treatment of the aryl bromide (XVIII) with a functionalized boronic acid (XIX) in the presence of a catalytic Pd(0) species, such as Pd(PPh₃)₄, Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂, Pd(OAc)₂, Pd₂(dba)₃ and a suitable ligand such as PPh₃, AsPh₃, etc., or other such Pd(0) catalyst, and a base such as Na₂CO₃, Ba(OH)₂ or Et₃N in a suitable solvent such as DMF, toluene, THF, DME or the like, to afford the biaryl 3-aza-fluorene (XX).

Alternatively, treatment of bromine derivative (XVIII) with a palladium catalyst such as Pd(PPh₃)₄ or Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂ and a suitable base, a preferred one being potassium acatate, in the presence of diboron pinacol ester (XXI) affords the aryl boronic ester (XXII). This boronic ester can undergo Suzuki coupling directly with a wide variety of commercially available bromides (XIII) under typical Suzuki conditions as described above to afford the 3-aza-fluorene (XX).

Similarly compounds wherein R⁴, R⁵, and R⁷ are bromide, iodide, triflates, and/or diazo derivatives may be prepared by the synthetic sequence exemplified in Scheme 1, (starting with the suitably functionalized bromo-aryl magnesium halides (III)). These compounds may be coupled with a variety of boronic acids as described above in Scheme 5, to afford the corresponding adducts (XXV). (see Miyaura, N., Suzuki, A., Chem. Rev., 1995, 2457, for a review of aryl couplings).

In addition, there exists a wide range of procedures and protocols for functionalizing haloaromatics, aryldiazonium and aryltriflate compounds. These procedures are well known by those in the art and described, for example (see Stanforth, S. P., Tetrahedron, 1998, 263; Buchwald, S. L., et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1998, 9722; Stille, J. K., et. al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1984, 7500). Among these procedures are biaryl couplings, alkylations, acylations, aminations, and amidations. The power of palladium catalyzed functionalization of aromatic cores has been explored in depth in the last decade. An excellent review of this field can be found in J. Tsuji, “Palladium Reagents and Catalysts, Innovations in Organic Synthesis”, J. Wiley and Sons, New York, 1995.

One example is described in Scheme 6, where the aromatic ring of Formula (I) is substituted with an arylamino group. Treatment of arylbromide derivatives of type (XIX) with diphenylmethyl imine in the presence of a Pd(0) catalyst, such as Pd₂(dba)₃, Pd(PPh₃)₄ or Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂, and suitable ligand such BINAP or PPh₃, and a base such as NaOtBu in a suitable solvent such as DMF, toluene, THF, DME, or the like, affords an imine intermediate. Basic hydrolysis (hydroxylamine, sodium acetate in methanol) affords the primary aniline derivative (XXVI). Coupling of these anilines with various arylbromide (XXIII) under Pd(0) catalyzed condition described above affords the biaryl anilines (XXVII). The protocol described in Scheme 6 can also be applied to analogs of (XIX) where the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ groups are Br, I, OTf, etc., to afford analogs of (XXVII) where the arylamino group is on the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ position.

An alternate method for preparing secondary anilines (XXVIII) proceeds from bromides (XIX). Treatment of bromide (XVI) with a variety of alkyl or benzylamines (XXVII), which can be chiral if R^(a) and R^(b) are different groups, in the presence of a Pd(0) catalyst, such as Pd₂(dba)₃, Pd(PPh₃)₄ or Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂, and suitable ligand such BINAP or PPh₃, and a base such as NaOtBu in a suitable solvent such as DMF, toluene, THF, DME, or the like, affords the secondary anilines (XXVIII). The protocol described in Scheme 7 can also be applied to analogs of (XIX) where the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ groups are Br, I, OTf, etc., to afford analogs of (XXVIII) where the substituted amino group is on the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ position.

An alternate method for preparing alkyl substituted 3-aza-fluorene (XXX) proceeds from bromides (XIX) and is shown in Scheme 8. Treatment of bromide (XVI) with a variety of alkyl zinc chloride or dialkyl zinc in the presence of a Pd(0) catalyst, such as Pd(dppf)Cl₂, Pd₂(dba)₃, Pd(PPh₃)₄ or Pd(PPh₃)₂Cl₂, and a base such as K₂CO₃ in a suitable solvent such as DMF, toluene, THF, DME, or the like, affords the alkyl substituted 3-aza-fluorene (XXX). The protocol described in Scheme 8 can also be applied to analogs of (XIX) where the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ groups are Br, I, OTf, etc., to afford analogs of (XXX) where the substituted amino group is on the R⁴, R⁵ or R⁷ position.

In addition, derivatives of type (I) can be alkylated with any number of functionalized alkyl sidechains. Typical procedures utilizing standard alkylation of a secondary amine with an alkylhalide under base catalyzed conditions are well known by those skilled in the art. For example, the secondary amino group of Formula (I) (R¹═H) can be alkylated with alkylhalides or alkylsulfonates in the presence of NaI or KI and a base such as K₂CO₃, Na₂CO₃, triethylamine, or the like, in dioxane or THF or other such solvent while heating (see Glennon, R. A., et. al., Med. Chem. Res., 1996, 197) affords the R¹ alkylated indolines.

It is understood that the compounds of the present applications can be prepared in a number of ways well known to one skilled in the art of organic synthesis. The compounds of the present applications can be synthesized using the methods described herein, together with synthetic methods known in the art of synthetic organic chemistry, or variations thereon as appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Utilities and Combinations

Utilities

The compounds of the present application are 5HT modulators, and include compounds which are, for example, selective agonists, partial agonists, antagonists or partial antagonists of the 5HT_(2C) receptor. Accordingly, the compounds of the present application may be useful for the treatment or prevention of diseases and disorders associated with 5HT receptor activity. Preferably, compounds of the present application possess activity as agonists of the 5HT_(2C) receptor, and may be used in the treatment of diseases or disorders associated with the activity of the 5HT_(2C) receptor.

Accordingly, the compounds of the present application can be administered for the treatment of a variety of conditions and disorders, including, but not limited to metabolic and eating disorders as well as conditions associated with metabolic disorders, (e.g., obesity, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, polycystic ovary disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, dermatological disorders, impaired glucose hemostatsis, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, cholelithiasis and sleep disorders, dislipidemic conditions, bulimia nervosa and compulsive eating disorders); pain; sleep disorders and psychiatric disorders, such as substance abuse, depression, anxiety, psychosis, mania and schizophrenia.

These compounds could also be used for the improvement of cognitive function (e.g., the treatment of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, short term memory loss and attention deficit disorders); neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., Parkinson's Disease, cerebral apoplexy and craniocerebral trauma) and hypotension (e.g., hemorrhagic and endotoxin-induced hypotension). These compounds could also be used for treatment of cardiac dysfunction (e.g., associated with valvular disease, myocardial infarction, cardiac hypertrophy or congestive heart failure); and improvement of the overall pulmonary function; transplant rejection; rheumatoid arthritis; osteoarthritis; fibromyalgia; multiple sclerosis; inflammatory bowel disease; lupus; graft vs. host disease; T-cell mediated hypersensitivity disease; psoriasis; asthma; Hashimoto's thyroiditis; Guillain-Barre syndrome; cancer; contact dermatitis; allergic rhinitis; and ischemic or reperfusion injury. These compounds could also be used for treatment of sexual dysfunction and erectogenesis.

Compounds useful in the treatment of appetite or motivational disorders regulate desires to consume sugars, carbohydrates, alcohol or drugs and more generally to regulate the consumption of ingredients with hedonic value. In the present description and in the claims, appetite disorders are understood as meaning: disorders associated with a substance and especially abuse of a substance and/or dependency on a substance, disorders of eating behaviors, especially those liable to cause excess weight, irrespective of its origin, for example: bulimia nervosa, craving for sugars. The present application therefore further relates to the use of a 5HT_(2C) receptor agonist for the treatment of bulimia and obesity, including obesity associated with type II diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes), or more generally any disease resulting in the patient becoming overweight. It may be due to any cause, whether genetic or environmental, including overeating and bulemia, polycycstic ovary disease, craniopharyngeoma, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Frohlich's Syndrome, Type II diabetes, growth hormone deficiency, Turner's Syndrome and other pathological states characterized by reduced metabolic activity or reduced energy expenditure. As used with reference to the utilities described herein, the term “treating” or “treatment” encompasses prevention, partial alleviation, or cure of the disease or disorder. Further, treatment of obesity is expected to prevent progression of medical covariants of obesity, such as arteriosclerosis, Type II diabetes, polycystic ovary disease, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, dermatological disorders, hypertension, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, cholelithiasis and sleep disorders.

Compounds in the present application may also be useful in treating substance abuse disorders, including substance dependence or abuse without physiological dependence. Substances of abuse include alcohol, amphetamines (or amphetamine-like substances), caffeine, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalents, nicotine, opioids, phencyclidine (or phencyclidine-like compounds), sedative-hypnotics or benzodiazepines, and other (or unknown) substances and combinations of the above. The terms “substance abuse disorders” also includes drug, nicotine or alcohol withdrawal syndromes and substance-induced anxiety or mood disorder with onset during withdrawal.

Compounds in the present application may be useful in treating memory impairment and cognitive disorders. The condition of memory impairment is manifested by impairment of the ability to learn new information and/or the inability to recall previously learned information. Memory impairment is a primary symptom of dementia and can also be a symptom associated with such diseases as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Pick's disease, Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, HIV, cardiovascular disease such as ischemia or stroke, and head trauma as well as age-related cognitive decline. Dementias are diseases that include memory loss and additional intellectual impairment separate from memory. 5HT_(2C) modulators may also be useful in treating cognitive impairments related to attentional deficits, such as attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders.

Compounds in the present application may also be useful in treating diseases associated with dysfunction of brain dopaminergic systems, such as Parkinson's Disease and substance abuse disorders. Parkinsons's Disease is a neurodenerative movement disorder characterized by bradykinesia and tremor.

Combinations

The present application includes within its scope pharmaceutical compositions comprising, as an active ingredient, a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the compounds of formula I, alone or in combination with a pharmaceutical carrier or diluent. Optionally, compounds of the present application can be used alone, in combination with other suitable therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of the aforementioned disorders including: anti-obesity agents; anti-diabetic agents, appetite suppressants; cholesterol/lipid-lowering agents, cognition enhancing agents, agents used to treat neurodegeneration, agents used to treat respiratory conditions, agents used to treat bowel disorders, anti-inflammatory agents; anti-anxiety agents; anti-depressants; anti-psychotic agents; sedatives; hypnotics; anti-hypertensive agents; anti-tumor agents and analgesics.

Such other therapeutic agent(s) may be administered prior to, simultaneously with, or following the administration of the 5HT_(2C) modulators in accordance with the application.

Examples of suitable anti-obesity agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include leptin and leptin-sensitizing agents, melanocortin receptor (MC4R) agonists, agouti-related peptide (AGRP) antagonists, melanin-concentrating hormone receptor (MCHR) antagonists, growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) antagonists, orexin antagonists, CCK agonists, GLP-1 agonists, NPY1 or NPY5 antagonsits, NPY2 modulators, corticotropin releasing factor agonists, histamine receptor-3 (H3) modulators, aP2 inhibitors, PPAR gamma modulators, PPAR delta modulators, beta 3 adrenergic agonists, such as AJ9677 (Takeda/Dainippon), L750355 (Merck), or CP331648 (Pfizer) or other known beta 3 agonists as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,541,204, 5,770,615, 5,491,134, 5,776,983 and 5,488,064, a thyroid receptor beta modulator, such as a thyroid receptor ligand as disclosed in WO 97/21993 (U. Cal SF), WO 99/00353 (KaroBio) and WO 00/039077 (KaroBio), a lipase inhibitor, such as orlistat or ATL-962 (Alizyme), leptinergics, adiponectin modulating agents, cannabinoid-1 receptor antagonists, such as SR-141716 (Sanofi) or SLV-319 (Solvay), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitors as disclosed in International patent application WO 03/072197 and monoamine reuptake inhibitors or releasing agents, such as fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, chlorphentermine, cloforex, clortermine, picilorex, sibutramine, dexamphetamine, phentermine, phenylpropanolamine or mazindol, anorectic agents such as topiramate (Johnson & Johnson), axokine (Regeneron).

Examples of suitable anti-diabetic agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include: insulin, which may include short- and long-lasting forms as well as oral and inhaled forms, insulin secretagogues or insulin sensitizers, which may include biguanides, sulfonyl ureas, glucosidase inhibitors, aldose reductase inhibitors, PPAR γ agonists such as thiazolidinediones, PPAR α agonists (such as fibric acid derivatives), PPAR δ antagonists or agonists, PPAR α/γ dual agonists such as muraglitizar described in Bristol-Myers Squibb U.S. Pat. No. 6,414,002, dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP4) inhibitors such as saxagliptin described in Bristol-Myers Squibb U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,395,767 and 6,573,287, SGLT2 inhibitors such as the compounds described in Bristol-Myers Squibb U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,414,126 and 6,515,117, glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors, and/or meglitinides, as well as insulin, and/or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, and/or a PTP-1B inhibitor (protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitor).

The antidiabetic agent may be glucokinase inhibitors, 11 β HSD inhibitors or oral antihyperglycemic agents, which is preferably a biguanide such as metformin or phenformin or salts thereof, preferably metformin HCl. Where the antidiabetic agent is a biguanide, the compounds of the present application will be employed in a weight ratio to biguanide within the range from about 0.001:1 to about 10:1, preferably from about 0.01:1 to about 5:1.

The antidiabetic agent may also preferably be a sulfonyl urea such as glyburide (also known as glibenclamide), glimepiride (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,785), glipizide, gliclazide or chlorpropamide, other known sulfonylureas or other antihyperglycemic agents which act on the ATP-dependent channel of the beta-cells, with glyburide and glipizide being preferred, which may be administered in the same or in separate oral dosage forms. The oral antidiabetic agent may also be a glucosidase inhibitor such as acarbose (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,769) or miglitol (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,436), which may be administered in the same or in a separate oral dosage forms.

The compounds of the present application may be employed in combination with a PPAR γ agonist such as a thiazolidinedione oral anti-diabetic-agent or other insulin sensitizers (which has an insulin sensitivity effect in NIDDM patients) such as troglitazone (Warner-Lambert's REZULIN, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,912), rosiglitazone (SKB), pioglitazone (Takeda), Mitsubishi's MCC-555 (disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,016), Glaxo-Wellcome's GL-262570, englitazone (CP-68722, Pfizer) or darglitazone (CP-86325, Pfizer, isaglitazone (MIT/J&J), JTT-501 (JPNT/P&U), L-895645 (Merck), R-119702 (Sankyo/WL), NN-2344 (Dr. Reddy/NN), or YM-440 (Yamanouchi), preferably rosiglitazone and pioglitazone.

The compounds of the present application may be employed in combination with anti-hyperlipidemia agents, or agents used to treat arteriosclerosis. An example of an hypolipidemic agent would be an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor which includes, but is not limited to, mevastatin and related compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,140, lovastatin (mevinolin) and related compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,938, pravastatin and related compounds such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,227, simvastatin and related compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,448,784 and 4,450,171. Other HMG CoA reductase inhibitors which may be employed herein include, but are not limited to, fluvastatin, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,772, cerivastatin disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,006,530 and 5,177,080, atorvastatin disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,681,893, 5,273,995, 5,385,929 and 5,686,104, pitavastatin (Nissan/Sankyo's nisvastatin (NK-104) or itavastatin), disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,930, Shionogi-Astra/Zeneca rosuvastatin (visastatin (ZD-4522)) disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,440, and related statin compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,675.

The squalene synthetase inhibitors suitable for use herein include, but are not limited to, α-phosphono-sulfonates disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,396, those disclosed by Biller et al, J. Med. Chem., 1988, Vol. 31, No. 10, pp 1869-1871, including isoprenoid (phosphinyl-methyl)phosphonates as well as other known squalene synthetase inhibitors, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,871,721 and 4,924,024 and in Biller, S. A., Neuenschwander, K., Ponpipom, M. M., and Poulter, C. D., Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2-, 1-40 (1996).

In addition, other squalene synthetase inhibitors suitable for use herein include the terpenoid pyrophosphates disclosed by P. Ortiz de Montellano et al, J. Med. Chem., 1977, 20, 243-249, the farnesyl diphosphate analog A and presqualene pyrophosphate (PSQ-PP) analogs as disclosed by Corey and Volante, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1976, 98, 1291-1293, phosphinylphosphonates reported by McClard, R. W. et al, J.A.C.S., 1987, 109, 5544, cyclopropanes reported by Capson, T. L., PhD dissertation, June, 1987, Dept. Med. Chem. U of Utah, Abstract, Table of Contents, pp 16, 17, 40-43, 48-51, Summary, pyrrolidine derivatives as disclosed by Sasyou, et al, WO 02/083636 and N-aryl-substituted cyclic amine derivatives disclosed by Okada et al, WO 02/076973.

Other hypolipidemic agents suitable for use herein include, but are not limited to, fibric acid derivatives, α PPAR agonists, such as fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, clofibrate, bezafibrate, ciprofibrate, clinofibrate and the like, probucol, and related compounds as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,836, probucol, phenylfibrate and gemfibrozil being preferred, bile acid sequestrants such as cholestyramine, colestipol and DEAE-Sephadex (SECHOLEX, POLICEXIDE) and cholestagel (Sankyo/Geltex), as well as lipostabil (Rhone-Poulenc), Eisai E-5050 (an N-substituted ethanolamine derivative), imanixil (HOE-402), tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), istigmastanylphos-phorylcholine (SPC, Roche), aminocyclodextrin (Tanabe Seiyoku), Ajinomoto AJ-814 (azulene derivative), melinamide (Sumitomo), Sandoz 58-035, American Cyanamid CL-277,082 and CL-283,546 (disubstituted urea derivatives), nicotinic acid (niacin), acipimox, acifran, neomycin, p-aminosalicylic acid, aspirin, poly(diallylmethylamine) derivatives such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,923, quaternary amine poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and ionenes such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,009, and other known serum cholesterol lowering agents.

The other hypolipidemic agent may be an ACAT inhibitor (which also has anti-atherosclerosis activity) such as disclosed in, Drugs of the Future 24, 9-15 (1999), (Avasimibe); “The ACAT inhibitor, Cl-1011 is effective in the prevention and regression of aortic fatty streak area in hamsters”, Nicolosi et al, Atherosclerosis (Shannon, Irel). (1998), 137(1), 77-85; “The pharmacological profile of FCE 27677: a novel ACAT inhibitor with potent hypolipidemic activity mediated by selective suppression of the hepatic secretion of ApoB100-containing lipoprotein”, Ghiselli, Giancarlo, Cardiovasc. Drug Rev. (1998), 16(1), 16-30; “RP 73163: a bioavailable alkylsulfinyl-diphenylimidazole ACAT inhibitor”, Smith, C., et al, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. (1996), 6(1), 47-50; “ACAT inhibitors: physiologic mechanisms for hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic activities in experimental animals”, Krause et al, Editor(s): Ruffolo, Robert R., Jr.; Hollinger, Mannfred A., Inflammation: Mediators Pathways (1995), 173-98, Publisher: CRC, Boca Raton, Fla.; “ACAT inhibitors: potential anti-atherosclerotic agents”, Sliskovic et al, Curr. Med. Chem. (1994), 1(3), 204-25; “Inhibitors of acyl-CoA:cholesterol O-acyl transferase (ACAT) as hypocholesterolemic agents. 6. The first water-soluble ACAT inhibitor with lipid-regulating activity. Inhibitors of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT). 7. Development of a series of substituted N-phenyl-N′-[(1-phenylcyclopentyl)methyl]ureas with enhanced hypocholesterolemic activity”, Stout et al, Chemtracts: Org. Chem. (1995), 8(6), 359-62, or TS-962 (Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd), as well as F-1394, CS-505, F-12511, HL-004, K-10085 and YIC-C8-434.

The hypolipidemic agent may be an upregulator of LDL receptor activity such as MD-700 (Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd) and LY295427 (Eli Lilly). The hypolipidemic agent may be a cholesterol absorption inhibitor preferably Schering-Plough's SCH48461 (ezetimibe) as well as those disclosed in Atherosclerosis 115, 45-63 (1995) and J. Med. Chem. 41, 973 (1998).

The other lipid agent or lipid-modulating agent may be a cholesteryl transfer protein inhibitor (CETP) such as Pfizer's Torcetrapib® as well as those disclosed in WO/0038722 and in EP 818448 (Bayer) and EP 992496, and Pharmacia's SC-744 and SC-795, as well as CETi-1 and JTT-705.

The hypolipidemic agent may be an ileal Na⁺/bile acid cotransporter inhibitor such as disclosed in Drugs of the Future, 24, 425-430 (1999). The ATP citrate lyase inhibitor which may be employed in the combination of the application may include, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,954.

The other lipid agent also includes a phytoestrogen compound such as disclosed in WO 00/30665 including isolated soy bean protein, soy protein concentrate or soy flour as well as an isoflavone such as genistein, daidzein, glycitein or equol, or phytosterols, phytostanol or tocotrienol as disclosed in WO 2000/015201; a beta-lactam cholesterol absorption inhibitor such as disclosed in EP 675714; an HDL upregulator such as an LXR agonist, a PPAR α-agonist and/or an FXR agonist; an LDL catabolism promoter such as disclosed in EP 1022272; a sodium-proton exchange inhibitor such as disclosed in DE 19622222; an LDL-receptor inducer or a steroidal glycoside such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,527 and GB 2304106; an anti-oxidant such as beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol or retinol as disclosed in WO 94/15592 as well as Vitamin C and an antihomocysteine agent such as folic acid, a folate, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin E; isoniazid as disclosed in WO 97/35576; a cholesterol absorption inhibitor, an HMG-CoA synthase inhibitor, or a lanosterol demethylase inhibitor as disclosed in WO 97/48701; a PPAR δ agonist for treating dyslipidemia; or a sterol regulating element binding protein-I (SREBP-1) as disclosed in WO 2000/050574, for example, a sphingolipid, such as ceramide, or neutral sphingomyelenase (N-SMase) or fragment thereof, and inhibitors or lipid synthesis enzymes such as, for example, ACC, FAS, DGAT, MGAT, GPAT, AMP kinase, CPT1 and SCD1. Preferred dyslipidemic agents are pravastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin, pitavastatin, rosuvastatin, ezetimibe, fenofibrate and Pfizer's Torcetrapib® as well as niacin and/or cholestagel.

The compounds of the present application may be employed in combination with anti-hypertensive agents. Examples of suitable anti-hypertensive agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include beta adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers (L-type and T-type; e.g. diltiazem, verapamil, nifedipine, amlodipine and mybefradil), diuretics (e.g., chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, flumethiazide, hydroflumethiazide, bendroflumethiazide, methylchlorothiazide, trichloromethiazide, polythiazide, benzthiazide, ethacrynic acid tricrynafen, chlorthalidone, furosemide, musolimine, bumetanide, triamtrenene, amiloride, spironolactone), renin inhibitors, ACE inhibitors (e.g., captopril, zofenopril, fosinopril, enalapril, ceranopril, cilazopril, delapril, pentopril, quinapril, ramipril, lisinopril), AT-1 receptor antagonists (e.g., losartan, irbesartan, valsartan, candasartan and talmisartan), ET receptor antagonists (e.g., sitaxsentan, atrsentan and compounds disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,612,359 and 6,043,265), Dual ET/AII antagonist (e.g., compounds disclosed in WO 00/01389), neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors, vasopepsidase inhibitors (dual NEP-ACE inhibitors) (e.g., omapatrilat and gemopatrilat), and nitrates.

5HT_(2C) modulators could be useful in treating other diseases associated with obesity, including sleep disorders. Therefore, the compounds described in the present application could be used in combination with therapeutics for treating sleep disorders. Examples of suitable therapies for treatment of sleeping disorders for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include melatonin analogs, melatonin receptor agonists, ML 1 B agonists. GABA A receptor agonists such as barbiturates (e.g., amobarbital, aprobarbital, butabarbital, mephobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital and talbutal), benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, chlorazepate, halazepam and prazepam), also specifically including triazolam (Halcion). Other agents for treating sleep disorders include zolpidem (Ambien) and Neurocrine's indiplon.

5HT_(2C) modulators may reduce or ameliorate substance abuse or addictive disorders. Therefore, combination of 5HT_(2C) modulators with agents used to treat addictive disorders may reduce the dose requirement or improve the efficacy of current addictive disorder therapeutics. Examples of agents used to treat substance abuse or addictive disorders are: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), methadone, buprenorphine, nicotine and bupropion and opiate antagonists.

5HT_(2C) modulators may reduce anxiety or depression; therefore, the compounds described in this application may be used in combination with anti-anxiety agents or antidepressants. Examples of suitable anti-anxiety agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, lorazepam, oxazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, clonazepam, chlorazepate, halazepam and prazepam), 5HT_(1A) receptor agonists (e.g., buspirone, flesinoxan, gepirone, ipsapirone and serzone), corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) antagonists and SSRI's.

Examples of suitable classes of anti-depressants for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (tertiary and secondary amine tricyclics), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, citalopram and sertraline), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline), reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (RIMAs) (moclobemide), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (venlafaxine), corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor antagonists (Britsol-Myers Squibb U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,642,230; 6,630,476; 6,589,952; 6,579,876; 6,525,056; 6,521,636; 6,518,271; 6,515,005; 6,448,261; 6,399,609; 6,362,180; and 6,358,950), alpha-adrenoreceptor antagonists, and atypical antidepressants (bupropion, lithium, nefazodone, trazodone and viloxazine).

The combination of a conventional antipsychotic drug with a 5HT_(2C) modulator could also enhance symptom reduction in the treatment of psychosis or mania. Further, such a combination could enable rapid symptom reduction, reducing the need for chronic treatment with antipsychotic agents. Such a combination could also reduce the effective antipsychotic dose requirement, resulting in reduced probability of developing the motor dysfunction typical of chronic antipsychotic treatment.

Examples of suitable antipsychotic agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include the phenothiazine (chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, thioridazine, acetophenazine, fluphenazine, perphenazine and trifluoperazine), thioxanthine (chlorprothixene, thiothixene), heterocyclic dibenzazepine (clozapine, olanzepine and aripiprazole), butyrophenone (haloperidol), diphenylbutylpiperidine (pimozide) and indolone (molindolone) classes of antipsychotic agents. Other antipsychotic agents with potential therapeutic value in combination with the compounds in the present application include loxapine, sulpiride and risperidone.

Combination of the compounds in the present application with conventional antipsychotic drugs could also provide an enhanced therapeutic effect for the treatment of schizophrenic disorders, as described above for manic disorders. As used here, schizophrenic disorders include paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated and residual schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder and psychotic disorder not specified. Examples of suitable antipsychotic drugs for combination with the compounds in the present application include the antipsychotics mentioned above, as well as dopamine receptor antagonists, muscarinic receptor agonists, 5HT_(2A) receptor antagonists and 5HT_(2A)/dopamine receptor antagonists or partial agonists (e.g., olanzepine, aripiprazole, risperidone, ziprasidone).

The compounds described in the present application could be used to enhance the effects of cognition-enhancing agents, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., tacrine the active agent in Cognex®), ADHD agents (e.g. methyl-phenidate, atomoxetine the active agent in Strattera® and histamine 3 antagonists), muscarinic receptor-1 agonists (e.g., milameline), nicotinic agonists, glutamic acid receptor (AMPA and NMDA) modulators such as memantine, and nootropic agents (e.g., piracetam, levetiracetam). Examples of suitable therapies for treatment of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive disorders for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include donepezil, tacrine, revastigraine, 5HT6 receptor antagonists, gamma secretase inhibitors, beta secretase inhibitors, SK channel blockers, Maxi-K blockers, and KCNQs blockers.

The compounds described in the present application could be used to enhance the effects of agents used in the treatment of Parkinson's Disease. Examples of agents used to treat Parkinson's Disease include: levadopa with or without a COMT inhibitor, antiglutamatergic drugs (amantadine, riluzole), alpha-2 adrenergic antagonists such as idazoxan, opiate antagonists, such as naltrexone, other dopamine agonists or transportor modulators, such as ropinirole, or pramipexole or neurotrophic factors such as glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).

The compounds described in the present application could be used in combination with agents used to treat erectile dysfunction. Examples of suitable treatment for erectile dysfunction include sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra) and tadalafil (Cialis). Other compounds that could be used in combination for erectile dysfunction include yohimbine, phentolamine and papaverine.

The compounds described in the present application could be used in combination with suitable anti-inflammatory agents. Examples of suitable anti-inflammatory agents for use in combination with the compounds of the present application include prednisone, dexamethasone, cyclooxygenase inhibitors (i.e., COX-1 and/or COX-2 inhibitors such as NSAIDs, aspirin, indomethacin, ibuprofen, piroxicam, Naproxen®, Celebrex®, Vioxx®, Arcoxia®, and Bextra®), CTLA4-Ig agonists/antagonists, CD40 ligand antagonists, IMPDH inhibitors, such as mycophenolate (CellCept®), integrin antagonists, alpha-4 beta-7 integrin antagonists, cell adhesion inhibitors, interferon gamma antagonists, ICAM-1 inhibitor, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists (e.g., infliximab, OR1384, including TNF-alpha inhibitors, such as tenidap, anti-TNF antibodies or soluble TNF receptor such as etanercept (Enbrel®), Remicade®, rapamycin (sirolimus or Rapamune) and leflunomide (Arava)), prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, budesonide, clofazimine, CNI-1493, CD4 antagonists (e.g., priliximab), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors, protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors, IKK inhibitors, and therapies for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (e.g., Zelnorm® and Maxi-K® openers such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,184,231 B1).

Exemplary of such other therapeutic agents which may be used in combination with 5HT_(2C) modulators include the following: cyclosporins (e.g., cyclosporin A), anti-IL-2 receptor (Anti-Tac), anti-CD45RB, anti-CD2, anti-CD3 (OKT-3), anti-CD4, anti-CD80, anti-CD86, monoclonal antibody OKT3, agents blocking the interaction between CD40 and gp39, such as antibodies specific for CD40 and/or gp39 (i.e., CD154), fusion proteins constructed from CD40 and gp39 (CD40Ig and CD8gp39), inhibitors, such as nuclear translocation inhibitors, of NF-kappa B function, such as deoxyspergualin (DSG), gold compounds, antiproliferative agents such as methotrexate, FK506 (tacrolimus, Prograf), mycophenolate mofetil, cytotoxic drugs such as azathiprine and cyclophosphamide, anticytokines such as antiIL-4 or IL-4 receptor fusion proteins and PDE 4 inhibitors such as Ariflo, and the PTK inhibitors disclosed in the following U.S. patent applications, incorporated herein by reference in their entirety: Ser. No. 09/097,338, filed Jun. 15, 1998; Ser. No. 09/094,797, filed Jun. 15, 1998; Ser. No. 09/173,413, filed Oct. 15, 1998; and Ser. No. 09/262,525, filed Mar. 4, 1999. See also the following documents and references cited therein and incorporated herein by reference: Hollenbaugh, D., Et Al, “Cleavable CD40Ig Fusion Proteins and the Binding to Sgp39”, J. Immunol. Methods (Netherlands), 188(1), pp. 1-7 (Dec. 15, 1995); Hollenbaugh, D., et al, “The Human T Cell Antigen Gp39, A Member of the TNF Gene Family, Is a Ligand for the CD40 Receptor: Expression of a Soluble Form of Gp39 with B Cell Co-Stimulatory Activity”, EMBO J (England), 11(12), pp. 4313-4321 (December 1992); and Moreland, L. W. et al., “Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with a Recombinant Human Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor (P75)-Fc Fusion Protein,” New England J. of Medicine, 337(3), pp. 141-147 (1997).

The above other therapeutic agents, when employed in combination with the compounds of the present application, may be used, for example, in those amounts indicated in the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR) or as otherwise determined by one of ordinary skill in the art.

The compounds of formula I of the application can be administered orally or parenterally, such as subcutaneously or intravenously, as well as by nasal application, transdermally, rectally or sublingually to various mammalian species known to be subject to such maladies, e.g., humans, in an effective amount within the dosage range of about 0.2 to 1000 mg, preferably from about 1 to 100 mg in a regimen of single, two or four divided daily doses.

The compounds of the formula I can be administered for any of the uses described herein by any suitable means, for example, orally, such as in the form of tablets, capsules, granules or powders; sublingually; bucally; parenterally, such as by subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intracisternal injection or infusion techniques (e.g., as sterile injectable aqueous or non-aqueous solutions or suspensions); nasally, including administration to the nasal membranes, such as by inhalation spray; topically, such as in the form of a cream or ointment; or rectally such as in the form of suppositories; in dosage unit formulations containing non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles or diluents. The present compounds can, for example, be administered in a form suitable for immediate release or extended release. Immediate release or extended release can be achieved by the use of suitable pharmaceutical compositions comprising the present compounds, or, particularly in the case of extended release, by the use of devices such as subcutaneous implants or osmotic pumps. The present compounds can also be administered liposomally.

Exemplary compositions for oral administration include suspensions which can contain, for example, microcrystalline cellulose for imparting bulk, alginic acid or sodium alginate as a suspending agent, methylcellulose as a viscosity enhancer, and sweeteners or flavoring agents such as those known in the art; and immediate release tablets which can contain, for example, microcrystalline cellulose, dicalcium phosphate, starch, magnesium stearate and/or lactose and/or other excipients, binders, extenders, disintegrants, diluents and lubricants such as those known in the art. The compounds of formula I can also be delivered through the oral cavity by sublingual and/or buccal administration. Molded tablets, compressed tablets or freeze-dried tablets are exemplary forms which may be used. Exemplary compositions include those formulating the present compound(s) with fast dissolving diluents such as mannitol, lactose, sucrose and/or cyclodextrins. Also included in such formulations may be high molecular weight excipients such as celluloses (avicel) or polyethylene glycols (PEG). Such formulations can also include an excipient to aid mucosal adhesion such as hydroxy propyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (SCMC), maleic anhydride copolymer (e.g., Gantrez), and agents to control release such as polyacrylic copolymer (e.g. Carbopol 934). Lubricants, glidants, flavors, coloring agents and stabilizers may also be added for ease of fabrication and use.

Exemplary compositions for nasal aerosol or inhalation administration include solutions in saline which can contain, for example, benzyl alcohol or other suitable preservatives, absorption promoters to enhance bioavailability, and/or other solubilizing or dispersing agents such as those known in the art.

Exemplary compositions for parenteral administration include injectable solutions or suspensions which can contain, for example, suitable non-toxic, parenterally acceptable diluents or solvents, such as mannitol, 1,3-butanediol, water, Ringer's solution, an isotonic sodium chloride solution, or other suitable dispersing or wetting and suspending agents, including synthetic mono- or diglycerides, and fatty acids, including oleic acid, or Cremaphor.

Exemplary compositions for rectal administration include suppositories which can contain, for example, a suitable non-irritating excipient, such as cocoa butter, synthetic glyceride esters or polyethylene glycols, which are solid at ordinary temperatures, but liquify and/or dissolve in the rectal cavity to release the drug.

Exemplary compositions for topical administration include a topical carrier such as Plastibase (mineral oil gelled with polyethylene).

It will be understood that the specific dose level and frequency of dosage for any particular subject can be varied and will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the metabolic stability and length of action of that compound, the species, age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the subject, the mode and time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, and severity of the particular condition.

Pharmacological Analysis

The pharmacological analysis of each compound for either antagonism or agonism of 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B) and 5-HT_(2C) receptors consisted of in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro analyses included K_(i) determinations at 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B) and 5-HT_(2C) receptors and an assessment of functional (i.e., agonism or antagonism) activity at each receptor class by IP3 hydrolysis assays. Additional receptor assays were conducted to evaluate receptor specificity of 5-HT_(2C) receptors over monoamine and nuisance receptors (e.g. histamine, dopamine, and muscarinic). A compound is considered active as a 5-HT₂ agonist if it has an EC₅₀ value or a K_(i) value of less than about 50 micromolar; preferably less than about 1.0 micromolar; more preferably less than about 0.1 micromolar. Using the assays disclosed herein, compounds of the present application have been shown to have an EC₅₀ value of less than about 50 micromolar for 5-HT₂ agonism.

In vivo assays assessed compound activity in a variety of behavioral paradigms including acute and chronic feeding models, anxiety and depression models (learned-helplessness, elevated plus maze, Geller-Siefter, conditioned taste aversion, taste reactivity, satiety sequence). In aggregate, these models reflect activity as a 5-HT_(2C) agonist (feeding models, anxiety models, depression models) and provide some indication as to bioavailability, metabolism and pharmacokinetics.

Radioligand binding experiments were conducted on recombinant human 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), and 5-HT_(2C) receptors expressed in HEK293E cells. The affinities of compounds of the present application to bind at these receptors is determined by their capacity to compete for [¹²⁵I]-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-amino-propane (DOI) or [³H]-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) binding at the 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), or 5-HT_(2C) receptors. General references for binding assays include 1) Lucaites V L, Nelson D L, Wainscott D B, Baez M (1996) Receptor subtype and density determine the coupling repertoire of the 5-HT₂ receptor subfamily. Life Sci., 59(13):1081-95. Glennon R A, Seggel M R, Soine W H, Herrick-Davis K, Lyon R A, Titeler M (1988) [125I]-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-amino-propane: an iodinated radioligand that specifically labels the agonist high-affinity state of 5-HT2 serotonin receptors. J Med. Chem. (1988) 31(1):5-7 and 3 Leonhardt S, Gorospe E, Hoffman B J, Teitler M (1992) Molecular pharmacological differences in the interaction of serotonin with 5-hydroxytryptamine 1C and 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptors. Mol Pharmacol., 42(2):328-35.

The functional properties of compounds (efficacy and potency) were determined in whole cells expressing 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), or 5-HT_(2C) receptors by assessing their ability to stimulate or inhibit receptor-mediated phosphoinositol hydrolysis and/or intracellular calcium release. The procedures used are described below.

In Vitro Binding Assays

Stable Expression of 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B) and 5-HT_(2C) Receptors in HEK293E Cells

Stable cell lines were generated by transfecting 293EBNA cells with plasmids containing human 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), or 5-HT_(2C) receptor (INI, INV, VNV or VGV RNA-edited isoforms) cDNA using calcium phosphate. These plasmids also contained the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter to drive receptor expression and EBV oriP for their maintenance as an extrachromosomal element, and the hph gene from E. coli to yield hygromycin B resistance (Horlick et al., 1997). Transfected cells were maintained in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle medium (DMEM) containing dialyzed 10% fetal bovine serum at 37° C. in a humid environment (5% CO₂) for 10 days. The 5-HT_(2A) cells were adapted to spinner culture for bulk processing whereas it was necessary to maintain the other lines as adherent cultures. On the day of harvest, cells were washed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), counted, and stored at −80° C.

Membrane Preparation

On the day of assay, pellets of whole cells (containing approximately 1×10⁸ cells) expressing the 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B) or 5-HT_(2C) receptor were thawed on ice and homogenized in 50 mM Tris HCl (pH 7.7) containing 1.0 mM EDTA using a Brinkman Polytron (PT-10, setting 6 for 10 sec). The homogenate was centrifuged at 48,000×g for 10 min and the resulting pellet washed twice by repeated homogenization and centrifugation steps. The final pellet was resuspended in tissue buffer and protein determinations were made by the bichichoninic acid (BCA) assay (Pierce Co., Ill.) using bovine serum albumin as the standard.

Radioligand Binding Assays for the 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B) and 5-HT_(2C) Receptors

Radioligand binding studies were conducted to determine the binding affinities (Ki values) of compounds for the human recombinant 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), and 5-HT_(2C) receptors (Fitzgerald et al., 1999). Assays were conducted in disposable polypropylene 96-well plates (Costar Corp., Cambridge, Mass.) and were initiated by the addition of 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), or 5-HT_(2C) membrane homogenate in tissue buffer (10-30 (g/well) to assay buffer (50 mM Tris HCl, 0.5 mM EDTA, 10 mM pargyline, 10 mM MgSO₄, 0.05% ascorbic acid, pH 7.5) containing [¹²⁵I]DOI for the 5-HT_(2A) and 5-HT_(2C) receptors (0.3-0.5 nM, final) or [³H]LSD (1-2.0 nM, final) for the 5-HT_(2B) receptor, with or without competing drug (i.e, newly synthesized chemical entity). For a typical competition experiment, a fixed concentration of radioligand was competed with duplicate concentrations of ligand (12 concentrations ranging from 10 picomolar to 10 micromolar). The reaction mixtures were incubated to equilibrium for 45 min at 37° C. and terminated by rapid filtration (Packard cell harvester; Perkin-Elmer) over GFB glass-fiber filters that had been pre-soaked in 0.3% polyethyleneimine. Filters were washed in ice-cold 50 mM Tris HCl buffer (pH 7.5) and then counted on a Top Count (Packard).

Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis Studies

The ability of newly synthesized compounds to stimulate phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis was monitored in whole cells using a variant (Egan et al., 1998) of a protocol described previously (Berridge et al., 1982). HEK293E cells expressing the human 5-HT_(2A), 5-HT_(2B), or 5-HT_(2C) receptor were lifted with 0.5 mM EDTA and plated at a density of 100,000/well onto poly-D-lysine-coated 24-well plates (Biocoat; Becton Dickinson, Bedford, Mass.) in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's serum (DMEM; Gibco BRL) containing high glucose, 2 mM glutamine, 10% dialyzed fetal calf serum, 250 (g/ml hygromycin B, and 250 (g/ml G418. Following a 24-48 hr period, the growth media was removed and replaced with DMEM without fetal calf serum and inositol (Gibco BRL). The cells were then incubated with DMEM (without serum and inositol) containing a final concentration of 0.5 uCi/well myo-[³H]inositol for 16-18 hr. Following this incubation, the cells were washed with DMEM (without serum or inositol) containing 10 mM LiCl and 10 (M pargyline and then incubated for 30 min with the same media but now containing one of several test compounds. Reactions were terminated by aspirating the media and lysing the cells by freeze-thaw. [³H]phosphoinositides were extracted with chloroform/methanol (1:2 v/v), separated by anion exchange chromatography (Bio-Rad AGI-X8 resin), and counted by liquid scintillation spectroscopy as described previously (Egan et al., 1998).

Calcium Fluorescence Studies

The ability of newly synthesized compounds to stimulate calcium fluorescence was monitored in whole cells using a protocol described previously (Fitzgerlad et al., 1999). HEK293E cells expressing the human 5-HT_(2C), or 5-HT_(2B) receptor were lifted with 0.5 mM EDTA and plated at a density of 50,000/well onto poly-D-lysine-coated 96-well plates (Biocoat; Becton Dickinson, Bedford, Mass.) in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's serum (DMEM; Gibco BRL) containing high glucose, 2 mM glutamine, 10% dialyzed fetal calf serum, 250 μg/ml hygromycin B, and 250 μg/ml G418. Following a 24 hr period, the cell plates are removed from the incubator and an equal volume of Loading Buffer (Hanks BSS with 200 mM HEPES, pH 5.98) containing the calcium dye reagent (Fluo-3) is added to each well (100 μL per well for 96-well plates and then incubated for 1 hour at 37 C. Following the dye loading of the cells he plates are transferred to the FLIPR. Test compounds are added to the plate as a concentration response curve and the changes in fluorescence units due to calcium influx are monitored for a period of three seconds.

Data Analyses

The equilibrium apparent dissociation constants (Ki's) from the competition experiments were calculated using an iterative nonlinear regression curve-fitting program (Excelfit and TA Activity Base). For the PI hydrolysis and FLIPR experiments, EC50's were calculated using a one-site ‘pseudo’ Hill model: y=((Rmax-Rmin)/(1+R/EC50)nH))+Rmax where R=response (GraphPad Prism; San Diego, Calif.). Emax (maximal response) was derived from the fitted curve maxima (net IP stimulation) for each compound. Intrinsic activity (IA) was determined by expressing the Emax of a compound as a percentage of the Emax of 5-HT (IA=1.0).

Efficacy Models to Evaluate Food Consumption and Weight Loss

Acute overnight feeding assay. Compounds are assessed to for their ability to reduce food consumption during the dark cycle, which is the most active period of feeding in the rat. Fischer 344 rats are trained on a fixed ratio three (FR3) response paradigm which requires them to press a bar 3 consecutive times in order to obtain a food pellet. The number of bar presses occurring throughout the dark cycle can be monitored electronically as a measure of food intake by the animal. Rats are dosed orally or intraperitoneally with test compound 30 minutes prior to the onset of the dark cycle. The treated animals are then placed in individual operant boxes for 15 hours (12 hrs of dark cycle and the first three hours of the light cycle). Food intake in compound treated animals is compared to that of vehicle treated animals in order to determine percent reductions in food intake. Simultaneous measurements of water intake and locomotor activity are also measured during the period to assess for potential adverse effects.

Chronic Feeding Assay

Compounds are assessed for their long term impact on food intake and body weight in a three to fourteen week chronic treatment paradigm in Sprague-Dawley rats (starting weight ˜450 g). Male Sprague-Dawley rats are pre-handled for one week prior to the onset of dosing during which time they are also assessed for food intake behavior. Rats are then assigned to treatment groups. Rats are dosed with vehicle or compound by oral gavage. The food-intake and body weights are cumulatively assessed at the end of each treatment week and compared to vehicle treated animals. In some studies food intake is measured daily in order to assess the impact of reduced food consumption on pair-fed animals. At the end of the study period the animals are assessed for changes in body composition utilizing DEXA and are then sacrificed in order to examine changes in various blood plasma parameters.

REFERENCES

-   Arnt, J. Acta Pharmacol. et Toxicol. 1982: 51, 321-329. -   Berridge M. J., Downes P. C., Hanley M. R. (1982) Lithium amplifies     agonist-dependent phosphotidyinositol response in brain and salivary     glands. Biochem. J., 206, 587-595. -   Costall, B and Naylor, R J. Psychopharmacology. 1975: 43, 69-74. -   Egan C. T., Herrick-Davis K., Miller K., Glennon R. A., and     Teitler M. (1998) Agonist activity of LSD and lisuride at cloned     5-HT_(2A) and 5-HT_(2C) receptors. Psychopharmacology, 136, 409-414. -   Fitzgerald L. W., Conklin D. S., Krause C. M., Marshall A. P.,     Patterson J. P., Tran D. P., Iyer G., Kostich W. A., Largent B. L.,     Hartig P. R. (1999) High-affinity agonist binding correlates with     efficacy (intrinsic activity) at the human serotonin 5-HT_(2A) and     5-HT_(2C) receptors: evidence favoring the ternary complex and     two-state models of agonist action. J. Neurochem., 72, 2127-2134. -   Horlick, R. A., Sperle, K., Breth, L. A., Reid, C. C., Shen, E. S.,     Robbinds, A. K., Cooke, G. M., Largent, B. L. (1997) Rapid     Generation of stable cell lines expressing corticotrophin-releasing     hormone receptor for drug discovery. Protein Expr. Purif. 9,     301-308.

Dosage and Formulations

The serotonin agonist and serotonin antagonist compounds of this application can be administered as treatment for the control or prevention of central nervous system disorders including obesity, anxiety, depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, sleep and sexual disorders, migraine and other conditions associated with cephalic pain, social phobias, and gastrointestinal disorders such as dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract motility by any means that produces-contact of the active agent with the agent's site of action, i.e., 5-HT2 receptors, in the body of a mammal. It can be administered by any conventional means available for use in conjunction with pharmaceuticals, either as an individual therapeutic agent or in a combination of therapeutic agents. It can be administered alone, but preferably is administered with a pharmaceutical carrier selected on the basis of the chosen route of administration and standard pharmaceutical practice.

The compounds of the present application can be administered in such oral dosage forms as tablets, capsules (each of which includes sustained release or timed release formulations), pills, powders, granules, elixirs, tinctures, suspensions, syrups, and emulsions. Likewise, they may also be administered in intravenous (bolus or infusion), intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, or intramuscular form. Further, they may also be administered by internasal delivery, transdermal delivery and suppository or depot delivery all using dosage forms well known to those of ordinary skill in the pharmaceutical arts.

The dosage administered will, of course, vary depending upon known factors, such as the pharmacodynamic characteristics of the particular agent and its mode and route of administration; the age, health and weight of the recipient; the nature and extent of the symptoms; the kind of concurrent treatment; the frequency of treatment; and the effect desired. By way of general guidance, a daily dosage of active ingredient can be expected to be about 0.001 to about 1000 milligrams per kilogram of body weight, with the preferred dose being about 0.01 to about 100 mg/kg; with the more preferred dose being about 0.01 to about 30 mg/kg. Advantageously, compounds of the present application may be administered in a single daily dose, or the total daily dosage may be administered in divided doses of two, three, or four times daily.

Dosage forms of compositions suitable for administration contain from about 0.5 mg to about 100 mg of active ingredient per unit. In these pharmaceutical compositions the active ingredient will ordinarily be present in an amount of about 0.5-95% by weight based on the total weight of the composition. The active ingredient can be administered orally in solid dosage forms, such as capsules, tablets and powders, or in liquid dosage forms, such as elixirs, syrups and suspensions. It can also be administered parenterally, in sterile liquid dosage forms.

Gelatin capsules contain the active ingredient and powdered carriers, such as lactose, starch, cellulose derivatives, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, and the like. Similar diluents can be used to make compressed tablets. Both tablets and capsules can be manufactured as sustained release products to provide for continuous release of medication over a period of hours. Compressed tablets can be sugar coated or film coated to mask any unpleasant taste and protect the tablet from the atmosphere, or enteric coated for selective disintegration in the gastrointestinal tract. Liquid dosage forms for oral administration can contain coloring and flavoring to increase patient acceptance.

In general, water, a suitable oil, saline, aqueous dextrose (glucose), and related sugar solutions and glycols such as propylene glycol or polyethylene glycols are suitable carriers for parenteral solutions. Solutions for parenteral administration preferably contain a water soluble salt of the active ingredient, suitable stabilizing agents, and if necessary, buffer substances. Antioxidizing agents such as sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, or ascorbic acid, either alone or combined, are suitable stabilizing agents. Also used are citric acid and its salts, and sodium EDTA. In addition, parenteral solutions can contain preservatives, such as benzalkonium chloride, methyl- or propyl-paraben and chlorobutanol. Suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, supra, a standard reference text in this field.

Useful pharmaceutical dosage-forms for administration of the compounds of this application can be illustrated as follows:

Capsules

A large number of unit capsules can be prepared by filling standard two-piece hard gelatin capsules each with 100 mg of powdered active ingredient, 150 mg of lactose, 50 mg of cellulose, and 6 mg magnesium stearic.

Soft Gelatin Capsules

A mixture of active ingredient in a digestible oil such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil or olive oil can be prepared and injected by means of a positive displacement pump into gelatin to form soft gelatin capsules containing 100 mg of the active ingredient. The capsules should then be washed and dried.

Tablets

A large number of tablets can be prepared by conventional procedures so that the dosage unit is 100 mg of active ingredient, 0.2 mg of colloidal silicon dioxide, 5 milligrams of magnesium stearate, 275 mg of microcrystalline cellulose, 11 mg of starch and 98.8 mg of lactose. Appropriate coatings may be applied to increase palatability or delay absorption.

Suspension

An aqueous suspension can be prepared for oral administration so that each 5 mL contain 25 mg of finely divided active ingredient, 200 mg of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, 5 mg of sodium benzoate, 1.0 g of sorbitol solution, U.S.P., and 0.025 mg of vanillin.

Injectable

A parenteral composition suitable for administration by injection can be prepared by stirring 1.5% by weight of active ingredient in 10% by volume propylene glycol and water. The solution is sterilized by commonly used techniques.

EXAMPLES Example 1 cis-3-Benzyl-6-bromo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

Step A. To a solution of 1,3-dibromobenzene (2.36 g, 10.0 mmol) in THF (20 mL) was added Mg (264 mg, 11.0 mmol) and 1,2-dibromoethane (8 μL) at 20° C. The reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h at 20° C. to give (3-bromophenyl)magnesium bromide as a clear 0.5 M THF solution.

Step B. A 0.5 M THF solution of (3-bromophenyl)magnesium bromide (20 mL, 10 mmol) was cooled to −15° C., and methyl 1-benzyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-4-carboxylate (1.05 g, 4.3 mmol) in toluene (3.0 mL) was slowly added for 3 h at −15° C. The reaction mixture was warmed to 20° C. and quenched by addition of saturated NH₄Cl aqueous solution followed by extraction with EtOAc. The combined organic solution was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to give methyl 1-benzyl-3-(3-bromophenyl)piperidine-4-carboxylate (1.0 g, 2.6 mmol).

Step C. A mixture of methyl 1-benzyl-3-(3-bromophenyl)piperidine-4-carboxylate (3.7 g, 9.5 mmol) and polyphosphoric acid (37 g) was heated at 180° C. for 3 h then cooled to 0.20° C. To the reaction mixture H₂O and saturated NH₄Cl aqueous solution were added, successively then extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The combined organic solution was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to obtain the title compound (631 mg, 1.8 mmol) MS (ES) 356.1 (M+H) along with the regio-isomer example 2 as the less polar fraction.

Example 2 cis-3-Benzyl-8-bromo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

The title compound (608 mg, 1.7 mmol) was obtained from the step C of example 1 as the more polar fraction to the region-isomer example 1: MS (ES) 356.1 (M+H).

Example 3 cis-3-Benzyl-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

(280 mg, 0.79 mmol), 2,4-dichlorophenylboronic acid (181 mg, 0.95 mmol), barium hydroxide octahydrate (374 mg, 1.2 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (21 mg, 0.079 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (6.0 mL)/H₂O (1.2 mL), and the solution was degassed. To the solution was added palladium(II) acetate (4.4 mg, 0.020 mmol), and the reaction mixture was heated at 90° C. for 15 h under Ar. The reaction mixture was cooled to 20° C. and diluted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 7/3) to obtain the title compound (132 mg, 0.31 mmol): MS (ES) 422.1 (M+H).

Example 4 cis-6-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

Step A. To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (132 mg, 0.31 mmol) in MeOH (4.0 mL) was added Pd(OH)₂ (26 mg, 20 wt %). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 15 h under H₂ atmosphere, filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo to give the crude title compound.

Step B. The residue from the step A was dissolved in dioxane (2.0 mL), and di-t-butyl dicarbonate (132 mg, 0.6 mmol) and 1M NaOH (2.0 mL) were added. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 2 h diluted with Et₂O and washed with brine. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to obtained cis-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-9-oxo-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester.

Step C. To a solution of 6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-9-oxo-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester in CH₂Cl₂ (3.2 mL) was added trifluoroacetic acid (0.8 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred for 2 h at 20° C. then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was basified with NH₄OH then extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give the title compound (42 mg, 0.13 mmol): MS (ES) 332.1 (M+H).

Example 5 cis-6-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

Step A. To a solution of cis-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (40 mg, 0.12 mmol) in trifluoroacetic acid (2.0 mL) was added Et₃SiH (62 mg, 0.53 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 15 h then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was basified with NH₄OH then extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give the crude title compound.

Step B. The residue from the step A was dissolved in dioxane (1.0 mL), and di-t-butyl dicarbonate (50 mg, 0.23 mmol) and 1M NaOH (1.0 mL) were added. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 2 h diluted with Et₂O and washed with brine. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 95/5) to obtained cis-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester.

Step C. To a solution of cis-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester in CH₂Cl₂-(1.6 mL) was added trifluoroacetic acid (0.4 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred for 2 h at 20° C. then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was basified with NH₄OH then extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give the title compound (20 mg, 0.06 mmol): MS (ES) 318.1 (M+H).

Example 6 cis-3-Benzyl-8-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

The title compound (90 mg, 0.21 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of example 3 from cis-3-benzyl-8-bromo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (172 mg, 0.51 mmol), 2,4-dichlorophenylboronic acid (153 mg, 0.80 mmol), barium hydroxide octahydrate (317 mg, 1.0 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (18 mg, 0.067 mmol) and palladium(II) acetate (3.8 mg, 0.017 mmol) in DMF (6.0 mL)/H₂O (1.2 mL): MS (ES) 422.1 (M+H).

Example 7 cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

The title compound was prepared as a white solid (69 mg, 0.21) by following the procedure step A of example 4 from cis-3-benzyl-8-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (90 mg, 0.21 mmol) and Pd(OH)₂ (18 mg, 20 wt %) in MeOH (3.0 mL): MS (ES) 332.1 (M+H).

Example 8 cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluoren-9-ol

To a solution of cis-8-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (15 mg, 0.045 mmol) in MeOH (1.0 mL) was added NaBH₄ (1.7 mg, 0.45 mmol) at 20° C. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 2 h, quenched by addition of acetic acid then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was basified with NH₄OH then extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give the title compound (10 mg, 0.030 mmol): MS (ES) 334.1 (M+H).

Example 9 cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

The title compound was prepared as a white solid (22 mg, 0.069) by following the procedures of example 5 from cis-8-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (51 mg, 0.15 mmol), Et₃SiH (79 mg, 0.68 mmol) and trifluoroacetic acid (175 mg, 1.5 mmol): MS (ES) 318.1 (M+H).

Example 10 cis-3-Benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

Step A. To a solution of 1,3-dibromo-5-methylbenzene (24.7 g, 99 mmol) in THF (20 μL) and toluene (20 mL) was added Mg (2.6 g, 109 mmol) and 1,2-dibromoethane (5 μL) at 20° C. The reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h at 20° C. to give (3-bromo-5-methyl-phenyl)magnesium bromide as a clear 2.5 M THF/toluene solution.

Step B. A 2.5 M THF/toluene solution of (3-bromo-5-methylphenyl)magnesium bromide (40 mL, 99 mmol) was cooled to −15° C., and methyl 1-benzyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-4-carboxylate (9.85 g, 42.6 mmol) in benzene (17.5 mL) was slowly added for 3 h at −15° C. The reaction mixture was stirred additional 2 h at −15° C. and warmed to 20° C. The reaction was quenched by addition of saturated NH₄Cl aqueous solution followed by extraction with EtOAc. The combined organic solution was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to give methyl 1-benzyl-3-(3-bromo5-methyl-phenyl)piperidine-4-carboxylate (12.2 g, 30.3 mmol).

Step C. A mixture of methyl 1-benzyl-3-(3-bromo-5-methyl-phenyl)piperidine-4-carboxylate (12.2 g, 30.3 mmol) from step B and polyphosphoric acid (124 g) was heated at 180° C. for 3 h then cooled to 0.20° C. To the reaction mixture H₂O and saturated NH₄Cl aqueous solution were added, successively then extracted with EtOAc. The combined organic solution was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to obtain the title compound (760 mg, 2.1 mmol): MS (ES) 370.1 (M+H).

Example 11 cis-3-Benzyl-8-bromo-6-methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

The title compound was also obtained from the step C of example 10 (762 mg, 2.1 mmol): MS (ES) 370.1 (M+H).

Example 12 cis-3-Benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

To a solution of cis-3-Benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (1.5 g, 4.0 mmol) in trifluoroacetic acid (15 mL) was added Et₃SiH (10 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 3 days then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was basified with NH₄OH then extracted with EtOAc. The organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to give the title compound (440 mg, 1.23 mmol): MS (ES) 356.1 (M+H).

Example 13 cis-8-Methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (50 mg, 0.14 mmol) in MeOH (2.0 mL) was added Pd(OH)₂ (−10 mg, 20 wt %). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 15 h under H₂ atmosphere, filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 1/1) to give the title compound (21 mg, 1.1 mmol): MS (ES) 188.1 (M+H).

Example 14 cis-3-Benzyl-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

The title compound (85 mg, 0.20 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of example 3 from cis-3-benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (107 mg, 0.30 mmol), 2,4-dichlorophenylboronic acid (69 mg, 0.36 mmol), barium hydroxide octahydrate (142 mg, 0.45 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (7.9 mg, 0.03 mmol) and palladium(II) acetate (1.7 mg, 0.0075 mmol) in DMF (3.0 mL)/H₂O (0.6 mL): MS (ES) 422.1 (M+H).

Example 15 cis-3-Benzyl-6-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

The title compound (27 mg, 0.06 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of example 3 from cis-3-benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (107 mg, 0.30 mmol), 2-dichloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenylboronic acid (81 mg, 0.36 mmol), barium hydroxide octahydrate (142 mg, 0.45 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (7.9 mg, 0.03 mmol) and palladium(II) acetate (1.7 mg, 0.0075 mmol) in DMF (3.0 mL)/H₂O (0.6 mL): MS (ES) 456.1 (M+H).

Example 16 cis-8-Methyl-6-phenyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (85 mg, 0.20 mmol) in MeOH (3.0 mL) was added Pd(OH)₂ (17 mg, 20 wt %) and catalytic amount of acetic acid. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 3 days under H₂ atmosphere, filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 1/1) to give the title compound (22 mg, 0.084 mmol): MS (ES) 264.2 (M+H).

Example 17 cis-3,8-Dimethyl-6-phenyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

Step A. To a solution of cis-8-methyl-6-phenyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (22 mg, 0.084) in CH₂Cl₂ was added Et₃N (43 mg, 0.42 mmol) followed by ethyl chloroformate (18 mg, 0.17 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 2 h and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 9/1) to give cis-8-methyl-6-phenyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (20 mg, 0.060 mmol).

Step B. To a solution of cis-8-methyl-6-phenyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (20 mg, 0.060 mmol) in THF (1.0 mL) was added LiAlH₄ (4.5 mg, 0.12 mmol) under Ar. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 2 h then refluxed for 4 h. The reaction was cooled to 20° C. and quenched by addition of H₂O and 1M NaOH. The quenched reaction mixture was extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The combined organic solution was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 1/1) to obtain the title compound (10 mg, 0.036 mmol): MS (ES) 278.2 (M+H).

Example 18 cis-6-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (25 mg, 0.055 mmol) in MeOH (1.5 mL) was added Pd(OH)₂ (5.0 mg, 20 wt %) and catalytic amount of acetic acid. The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 10 h under H₂ atmosphere, filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH 95/5) to give the title compound (16 mg, 0.044 mmol): MS (ES) 366.1 (M+H).

Example 19 cis-6-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-3,8-dimethyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

The title compound (8.0 mg, 0.021 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of example 17. cis-6-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (16 mg, 0.044 mmol) was reacted with ethyl chloroformate (9.6 mg, 0.088 mmol) and Et₃N (22.3 mg, 0.22 mmol) in CH₂Cl₂ (0.5 mL) to give cis-6-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (12 mg, 0.027 mmol) which was reduced with LiAlH₄ (2.1 mg, 0.055 mmol) in THF (1 mL): MS (ES) 380.1 (M+H).

Example 20 cis-3,8-Dimethyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

The title compound (9.0 mg, 0.044 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of example 17. cis-8-Methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (16 mg, 0.085 mmol) was reacted with ethyl chloroformate (18.5 mg, 0.17 mmol) and Et₃N (43 mg, 0.43 mmol) in CH₂Cl₂ (0.5 mL) to give cis-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (12 mg, 0.046 mmol) which was reduced with LiAlH4 (3.5 mg, 0.093 mmol) in THF (1 mL): MS (ES) 202.2 (M+H).

Example 21 cis-6-Methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one

To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-8-bromo-6-methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (50 mg, 0.14 mmol) in MeOH (3.0 mL) was added Pd(OH)₂ (10.0 mg, 20 wt %). The reaction mixture was stirred at 20° C. for 15 h under H₂ atmosphere, filtered through celite and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (CH₂Cl₂/MeOH 95/5) to give the title compound (20 mg, 0.099 mmol): MS (ES) 202.2 (M+H).

Example 22 cis-Benzyl-(3,8-dimethyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluoren-6-yl)-amine

Step A. To a solution of ethyl chloroformate (293 mg, 2.7 mmol) in THF (1.5 mL) was added a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene (320 mg, 0.90 mmol) in dry THF (1.5 mL) dropwise over 10 min at 0° C. The reaction mixture was warmed to 20° C., stirred for 15 h and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 7/3) to yield cis-6-bromo-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (130 mg, 0.38 mmol).

Step B. cis-6-Bromo-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (68 mg, 0.2 mmol), benzylamine (64 mg, 0.6 mmol), NaOt-Bu (58 mg, 0.3 mmol) and (2-biphenyl)di-t-butylphosphine (11 mg, 0.018 mmol) were dissolved in toluene (5.0 mL), and the solution was degassed. To the solution was added tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium (11 mg, 0.006 mmol), and the reaction mixture was heated at 80° C. for 15 h under Ar. The reaction mixture was cooled to 20° C. and diluted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was filtered through short silica gel column (Hex/EtOAc 7/3) to obtain crude cis-6-benzylamino-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (66 mg, 0.18 mmol)

Step C. The title compound (5.0 mg, 0.016 mmol) was prepared by following the procedure of step B of example 17 from crude cis-6-benzylamino-8-methyl-1,2,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluorene-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (66 mg, 0.18 mmol) and LiAlH4 (27 mg, 0.73 mmol) in THF (1 mL): MS (ES) 307.2 (M+H).

Example 23 3-Benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene

To a solution of cis-3-benzyl-6-bromo-8-methyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one (680 mg, 1.8 mmol) in ethylene glycol (9.0 mL) was added hydrazine hydrate (1.8 mL). The reaction mixture was heated at 120° C. for 2 h and at 180° C. for additional 15 h. The reaction was cooled to 20° C., quenched by addition of brine and extracted with CH₂Cl₂. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was chromatographed in silica gel column (hexane/EtOAc 9/1) to give the title compound (42 mg, 0.12 mmol): MS (ES) 354.1 (M+H).

While it is apparent that the embodiments of the application herein disclosed are well suited to fulfill the objectives stated above, it will be appreciated that numerous modifications and other embodiments may be implemented by those skilled in the art, and it is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present application.

A number of references have been cited and the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 

1. A compound, including all pharmaceutically acceptable salts, and stereoisomers thereof according to Formula I:

wherein, b is a single bond or a double bond; R¹ is H; R² is selected from the group consisting of H and C₁-C₄ alkyl; R³ is selected from the group consisting of H, hydroxy and C₁-C₄ alkyl; R^(3′) is selected from the group consisting of H and C₁-C₄ alkyl optionally R³ and R^(3′) may be taken together with the atom to which they are joined to form a carbonyl (C═O); R⁴, R⁵, R⁶ and R⁷ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, halo, —OR¹², C₁₋₆ alkyl and phenyl substituted with 0-3 R³³; R¹² is selected from the group consisting of H and C₁₋₆ alkyl; R³³ is selected from the group consisting of H, OH, halo, —CN, —NO₂, —CF₃, —OCF₃, —SO₂R⁴⁵, —S(═O)R⁴⁵, —SR⁴⁵, —NR⁴⁶R⁴⁷, —NHC(═O)R⁴⁵, —C(═O)NR⁴⁶R⁴⁶, —C(═O)H, —C(═O)R⁴⁵, —C(═O)OR⁴⁵, —OC(═O)R⁴⁵, —OR⁴⁵, C₁₋₆ alkyl, C₂₋₆ alkenyl, C₂₋₆ alkynyl, C₁₋₄ haloalkyl, C₁₋₄ alkoxy, C₁₋₄ haloalkyloxy, C₃₋₆ cycloalkyl, phenyl, and aryl; and R⁴⁵ is C₁₋₄ alkyl; with the following provisos: (a) when R³ is hydroxy, R^(3′) is not CH₃; (b) at least one of R⁴, R⁵, R⁶ or R⁷ is phenyl substituted with 0-3 R³³; and (c) when R¹ is H, R⁶ is not H or CH₃.
 2. The compound according to claim 1, wherein b is a single bond.
 3. The compound according to claim 2, wherein R² is H.
 4. The compound according to claim 3, wherein R⁴, R⁵, R⁶ and R⁷ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, halo, C₁₋₆ alkyl and phenyl substituted with 0-3 R³³.
 5. A compound selected from the group consisting of: cis-6-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one; cis-6-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene; cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydro-3-aza-fluoren-9-one; cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluoren-9-ol; cis-8-(2,4-Dichloro-phenyl)-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene; cis-8-Methyl-6-phenyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene; and cis-6-(2-Chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-8-methyl-2,3,4,4a,9,9a-hexahydro-1H-3-aza-fluorene.
 6. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising: at one compound according claim 1; and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
 7. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 6, further comprising: at least one additional therapeutic agent. 